By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
Richards Bay FC has inflicted more pain on struggling Kaizer Chiefs with a 1-0 victory at a packed uMhlathuze Sports Complex on Tuesday evening.
Chiefs effectively fallen out of three competitions after five defeats in six matches, slipping out of contention in the Betway Premiership title race and exiting both the CAF Confederation Cup and the Nedbank Cup.
It is now four defeats in a row in all competitions, the last thing the technical team needed after a heavy loss in the Soweto Derby this past weekend.
Chiefs’ best scoring opportunity fell to Aden McCarthy, whose header from a set-piece flashed inches wide of the target. Despite the intensity from both teams, the match went into the interval deadlocked at 0-0.
It was Richards Bay who broke the deadlock in the 69th minute, when Thulani Gumede capitalised on a counter-attack and a defensive lapse from the visitors to slot home.
The hosts then showed great discipline to hold onto their lead, compounding Chiefs’ misery. It is the first time the side have lost four consecutive games since the end of the 2022/23 season.
Elsewhere, Stellenbosch FC and Siwelele FC played out to a dull goalless draw at the Toyota Stadium. At Mbombela Stadium, TS Galaxy fell 2-1 to Orbit College, a result that sees the ‘Mswenko Boys’ climb out of the relegation zone.